4 Stars
Charlotte Duckworth is a new to me author that I think I may have discovered over on the ‘Gram. Ironic, since this is a story about an influencer. Thanks to technology, long gone are the days when . . . . .
Nope. Nowadays anyone can get a paycheck and be internet famous if they try hard enough. Violet is living proof. Her handsome husband, beautiful home and charming children have propelled her to the top of the heap when it comes to Mommy Vloggers. Lily and Yvonne don’t know each other at all, but are both faithful followers. When Violet’s social media presence goes dark, well . . . . .
I mean, who would just leave the internet? Something terrible must have happened, right?
Okay, so I seriously dug this book – mostly due to my morbid fascination with people’s relationships to social media. I will be the first to admit I just don’t get it. I think this is one time where my age truly shows. Obviously I have some social media, since I’m posting here. I also have a Bookstagram. But I don’t have Facebook, Twatter, Snapchat, etc. and I only post about books. I don’t post every meal I eat or my workout regimen (ha! work out. that’s funny), and I certainly don’t post my children’s images on my public pages because they didn’t sign up to be a part of my account and I never want strangers trolling them like they have trolled me. I don’t feel obligated to spend “X” hours or have “X” friends/followers or any of the like. In fact, I’m pretty likely to unfollow/defriend/block people who complain about how the internet is so demanding of their time, how they should get paid in more than free books (seriously??? free books is liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife), or how they are so speshul, but the “algorithm” is oppressing them. #barf. I will also admit I followed a handful of “Mommy” accounts on Instagram back when I originally joined because they focused on home décor and it was Christmastime which is errrrrrrrythang to me. However, I only continue to follow one because one irritated me with her constant posts of an insufferable child who was not cute whatsoever (I’ll take my Mother of the Year Award whenever it’s ready) when I signed up to see what bargains she could find at Target, Hobby Lobby, etc., another posted all day every day about herself while her youngest child begged for her attention and she ignored him (she’ll take one of those awards too), and I’m getting ready to kick the remaining account to the curb due to general lack of content in lieu of what I would consider “home movie” footage (obviously that account is probably the most like Violet and feels she has to post constantly or risk losing her fanbase/paycheck). All that being said, while I don’t understand the obsession people get with strangers, I totally see it all the time so the premise of this book didn’t seem like too much of a stretch for me. Now, the big reveal was pretty farfetched, but C’MON - that’s exactly what it was supposed to be. Like the best sort of Lifetime Murders and Mysteries I could have asked for.
The only complaint????
The actual ending was great. I wish authors would quit while they’re ahead and stop with these unnecessary epilogues.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nope. Nowadays anyone can get a paycheck and be internet famous if they try hard enough. Violet is living proof. Her handsome husband, beautiful home and charming children have propelled her to the top of the heap when it comes to Mommy Vloggers. Lily and Yvonne don’t know each other at all, but are both faithful followers. When Violet’s social media presence goes dark, well . . . . .
I mean, who would just leave the internet? Something terrible must have happened, right?
Okay, so I seriously dug this book – mostly due to my morbid fascination with people’s relationships to social media. I will be the first to admit I just don’t get it. I think this is one time where my age truly shows. Obviously I have some social media, since I’m posting here. I also have a Bookstagram. But I don’t have Facebook, Twatter, Snapchat, etc. and I only post about books. I don’t post every meal I eat or my workout regimen (ha! work out. that’s funny), and I certainly don’t post my children’s images on my public pages because they didn’t sign up to be a part of my account and I never want strangers trolling them like they have trolled me. I don’t feel obligated to spend “X” hours or have “X” friends/followers or any of the like. In fact, I’m pretty likely to unfollow/defriend/block people who complain about how the internet is so demanding of their time, how they should get paid in more than free books (seriously??? free books is liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife), or how they are so speshul, but the “algorithm” is oppressing them. #barf. I will also admit I followed a handful of “Mommy” accounts on Instagram back when I originally joined because they focused on home décor and it was Christmastime which is errrrrrrrythang to me. However, I only continue to follow one because one irritated me with her constant posts of an insufferable child who was not cute whatsoever (I’ll take my Mother of the Year Award whenever it’s ready) when I signed up to see what bargains she could find at Target, Hobby Lobby, etc., another posted all day every day about herself while her youngest child begged for her attention and she ignored him (she’ll take one of those awards too), and I’m getting ready to kick the remaining account to the curb due to general lack of content in lieu of what I would consider “home movie” footage (obviously that account is probably the most like Violet and feels she has to post constantly or risk losing her fanbase/paycheck). All that being said, while I don’t understand the obsession people get with strangers, I totally see it all the time so the premise of this book didn’t seem like too much of a stretch for me. Now, the big reveal was pretty farfetched, but C’MON - that’s exactly what it was supposed to be. Like the best sort of Lifetime Murders and Mysteries I could have asked for.
The only complaint????
The actual ending was great. I wish authors would quit while they’re ahead and stop with these unnecessary epilogues.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, NetGalley!
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